Names That Mean Famous
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About this list
Names that mean famous or fame might inspire your child to seek the limelight or feel that they're famous without having to do anything at all. Famous is certainly an appropriate name meaning today.
Because names were coined hundreds or even thousands of years ago, the meaning of famous does not usually refer to "famous on Instagram." Instead, most names with famous in the meaning mean things like "famous ruler" and "famous warrior".
These names meaning famous are ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.
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The names
Xiomara
Feminine variation of Guiomar, Spanish, Portuguese
"famous in battle"
The gorgeous and romantic name Xiomara popped into the Top 1000 from 2004-2011 after a contestant on America's Next Top Model increased interest in her rare name. Now Xiomara is back and more popular…
Rodrigo
Spanish and Portuguese variation of Roderick
"famous ruler"
Rhythmically appealing international spin on the stiff original.
Roland
German
"famous throughout the land"
Roland is a chivalrous old name made famous by the supposedly eight-foot-tall romantic hero and nephew of Charlemagne, celebrated in medieval poetry and song. It is more widely heard in the US now in…
Rudy
German, diminutive of Rudolph
"famous wolf"
Rudy is one of those names that has been consistently in the US Top 1000 since the early 20th century without ever becoming overwhelmingly popular. It peaked back in the 1930s, when it briefly…
Roger
German
"famous warrior"
In the World War II era, Roger had nothing but the most positive associations, actually used by military personnel to mean 'Received and understood'--or A-OK, and though it is now on extended…
Estes
English, Welsh, and Spanish surname
"of the East"
For some, a name that will evoke the beauty of the national park in the Colorado Rockies.
Orlando
Italian variation of Roland
"famous throughout the land"
Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any…
Marissa
Variation of Maris or a combination of Maria + Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
Pretty feminissima name that never became as overused as cousin Melissa. The more streamlined Maris is a more modern sounding option. Namesakes include Marissa Mayer, the former CEO of Yahoo!. The…
Aloysius
Latin
"famous warrior"
This name is a classic example of an underused golden oldie that ticks so many boxes - unusual yet traditional, heaps of cute nicknames, a statement name that exudes retro cool. Aloysius is the Latin…
Rolanda
German feminization of ROLAND
"famous in the land"
This is a rarely heard feminization of the rarely heard Roland.
Rolf
Abbreviated form of Rudolf, German
"famous wolf"
Like Papa name Rudolf, Rolf never quite emigrated from the Bavarian Alps. You might want to move on to Rollo or Wolf.
Marylouise
English, combination of Mary and Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
Homely compound name which may be written as one word, two words (Mary Louise), or hyphenated (Mary-Louise). The original meaning of Mary is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from…
Ludwig
German
"famous warrior"
As heavy as a marble bust of Beethoven.
Rowena
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Clotilde
Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese
"famous in battle"
A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.
Clotilda
German
"famous in battle"
Old and aristocratic European name that would be tough for an American kid to pull off.
Marisa
Italian and Spanish combination of Maria and Louisa
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + famous battle"
A name made famous by Marisas Berenson and Tomei, never became as saturated as its cousin Melissa, so still a feasible choice. Marisa is one of those Spanish and Italian names for girls that sounds…
Orlo
Short form of Orlando or Roland, German
"famous throughout the land"
Orlo is a name nobody ever heard of until the surprise popularity of the unrelated but similar-sounding Arlo. If Arlo can be a hit, why not Orlo? Why not indeed. Some sources identify Orlo not as a…
Roderick
German
"famous ruler"
The aristocratic--if not haughty--Roderick was nevertheless consistently in the Top 1000, reaching as high as Number 221 in 1967, when it was not uncommon to run into a Rod or a Roddy. It's at a low…
Rudolf
Spelling variation of Rudolph, German
"famous wolf"
You've got the red-nosed reindeer to transcend, but there are other distinguished personages named Rudolph, Rudolf, and Rudy.